The STEMINISTS Podcast

DORA may be a financial services regulation, but don’t let the name fool you, it’s rapidly becoming everyone’s problem. 

In this episode of The STEMINISTS Podcast, Phoebe Goh sits down with Katy Rankin, Cybersecurity Counsel at NetApp, to unpack the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and why technology vendors are suddenly finding themselves at the center of some very detailed and very urgent customer conversations.  

From supply chain risk and subcontractor transparency to regulatory scrutiny and personal liability, Katy explains why the days of simply pointing to a compliance certificate and calling it a day are long gone. As financial institutions race to meet DORA requirements, they're asking tougher questions of their vendors and expecting far more specific answers. The catch? Those answers aren't always easy to find.  

Phoebe and Katy explore what DORA is really trying to achieve, why regulators are worried about a single cyber incident taking down multiple financial institutions at once, and how organizations can move beyond box-ticking exercises toward meaningful operational resilience. They also discuss the growing role of cybersecurity counsel, the challenges of managing third-party risk at scale, and why asking better questions is often the key to getting better answers.  

In this episode: 

And because no STEMINISTS episode is complete without an unexpected twist, Katy shares a fascinating archaeological discovery. History, it turns out, may have had its own STEMINISTS.  

As always, make sure to like, follow and share with your inner circle.  

Learn More:

https://www.netapp.com/industries/financial-services/dora/

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Fan Favorite Replay: Originally one of our most talked-about episodes, we're bringing this conversation back because the insights are even more relevant today. As AI continues to transform the threat landscape and security leaders face mounting pressure from every direction, this episode remains a must-listen for CISOs, security professionals, and business leaders alike. 

Being a CISO these days feels straight out of Mission Impossible... stopping the bad actors without the luxury of self-destructing instructions, fancy gadgets, or dramatic warning music. The stakes are sky-high, and the challenge of keeping an organization secure can often feel impossible. As AI rewrites the rules of business, security leaders find themselves navigating a perfect storm of shrinking budgets, expanding attack surfaces, and increasingly sophisticated threats. 

In this fan-favorite episode, we cut through the noise with Shira Rubinoff, CEO of The Cybersphere Group, for a candid and eye-opening look at what CISOs are really up against. From deepfakes that can fool even seasoned professionals to shadow AI tools being used across organizations without oversight, Shira shares practical insights on the realities of modern cybersecurity leadership. 

Shira breaks down the essential truths every security leader needs to understand: 

If you want to understand what really keeps CISOs up at night and how the best leaders are staying ahead of rapidly evolving threats, this is an episode you won't want to miss. 

Learn how to protect your most important data: 

https://www.netapp.com/data-services/ransomware-resilience/

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AI Is Too Expensive. AI Is Free. AI Is Taking All the Jobs. Humans can’t be replaced. Which Is It? 

If your AI news feed is giving you whiplash, you're not alone. 

In this special AI Mythbusters episode of The STEMINISTS Podcast, hosts Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams put some of the biggest AI headlines under the microscope and aren't afraid to call out where hype is masquerading as fact.  

First up: Is free AI really disappearing? Phoebe and Mekka unpack the reality behind "free" and "freemium" AI services, exploring the hidden costs of compute, the tradeoffs around privacy and data usage, and why the future may belong to smaller, smarter, and more efficient AI models not just the biggest ones. 

Then they tackle a myth that's dominating boardrooms everywhere: Is AI actually cheaper than human labor? From data center investments and infrastructure costs to training, governance, process redesign, and the ongoing need for human oversight, they reveal why comparing AI to people isn't nearly as simple as the headlines suggest.  

Along the way, they make the case for something that never goes out of style: good data practices. Because whether you're all-in on agents and automation or just experimenting with AI, success still starts with knowing your data, protecting it, and managing it well.  

Expect myth-busting, practical insights, a few laughs, and a refreshing reminder that in the race toward AI adoption, humans are still very much part of the equation.  

Topics covered: 

And remember: if an AI headline sounds too dramatic, too optimistic, or too terrifying to be true... it probably deserves a little myth-busting of its own. As always, please remember to like, follow and share.  

Learn more: 

https://www.netapp.com/artificial-intelligence/

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Many transformation initiatives fall short not because the strategy is wrong, but because change never becomes part of how people work every day.  

In this episode of The STEMINISTS Podcast, host Phoebe Goh sits down with Jenny Marshall, VP of Global Cloud Acceleration at NetApp, for a candid and practical conversation about what it really takes to make transformation stick. 

With AI accelerating change at an unprecedented pace, organizations everywhere are under pressure to evolve. Yet many transformation strategies fail to translate into real behavioral change. Jenny shares an insider’s perspective on how AI, capacity constraints, and shifting customer demands are reshaping the way companies think about cloud, hybrid environments, and go-to-market strategies.  

Together, they unpack why transformation efforts often stall, and what leaders can do differently. From creating a genuine sense of urgency to aligning teams around a shared vision, Jenny outlines how to embed change into everyday workflows instead of treating it as a separate initiative. She also emphasizes the importance of meeting teams where they are, building on existing strengths rather than forcing entirely new ways of working.  

The conversation dives into practical tactics for success, including: 

Jenny also highlights the importance of clarity and accountability, ensuring everyone understands their role, what success looks like, and how progress will be measured over time. 

If you’re navigating change in a fast-moving, AI-driven world, this episode is a must-listen. It’s a masterclass in turning big strategy into lasting impact and making transformation not just a buzzword, but a reality. 

🎧 Tune in to learn how to move beyond the slide deck and build transformation that truly lasts. 

For more info check out these links: 

NetApp Hybrid Cloud Solutions | https://www.netapp.com/hybrid-cloud/

GIGAOM: CxO Decision Brief: Modern Data Services for the Hybrid Enterprise | https://portal.gigaom.com/report/cxo-decision-brief-modern-data-services-for-the-hybrid-enterprise#Organizational%20Impact 

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In this episode of The STEMINISTS Podcast, host Phoebe Goh sits down with Temitayo Sam-Andenekan, Senior Solutions Architect at NetApp, to unpack how virtualization has evolved from a focus on virtual machines to a broader, platform-driven approach. Together, they explore the growing intersection of Kubernetes, automation, and application modernization and why this shift is as much about business resilience as it is about technology.  

Temi shares how organizations can bridge the gap between traditional workloads and containerized environments using Kubernetes, while avoiding common blind spots around security, scalability, and operational complexity. She also dives into a critical but often overlooked topic: data protection. From application-aware strategies to disaster recovery and portability, this conversation highlights why recovery, not backup, is the true measure of modern resilience.  

You’ll also hear practical guidance on: 

Plus, Temi shares what’s inspiring her beyond the workplace, mentoring the next generation in coding, AI, and cybersecurity. 

If you're navigating modernization, cloud-native platforms, or enterprise resilience, this episode is packed with insights to help you move from migration to true transformation. 

Check out additional information here, just for you: 

https://www.netapp.com/data-infrastructure-modernization/  

https://www.netapp.com/blog/virtualization-technology-strategies/  

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As developers, citizen coders, and business brains all collide in today’s turbocharged builder ecosystem, the race is on: can your enterprise deliver infrastructure at the speed of innovation without letting governance slip through the cracks? 

STEMINISTS hosts Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams team up with NetApp’s Nitya Gupta to dissect the infrastructure revolution powering the AI age. 

Nitya breaks down how AI is reshaping developer workflows, why traditional ticket-based infrastructure provisioning creates costly friction, and where platform engineering helps and falls short. She also shares what modern builders need most: self-service access, built-in security and compliance, seamless integration with developer tools, secure access to data, and space for rapid experimentation. 

This episode is for anyone thinking about developer experience, platform engineering, AI-enabled software creation, or how to build infrastructure with real developer empathy. Listen in for a sharp, practical conversation on how enterprises can better support today’s builders. 

Here are some resources just for you:

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Summer is here, and STEMINISTS is easing into a bi-weekly groove because even sharp minds know when to trade a sprint for a smart summer stride. 

You’ll still get the data centric conversations, fresh perspective, and thoughtful updates, now dropping every other week through the end of August. Same smart energy. Just a slightly more sun-friendly schedule. 

Follow along so you’re right on time for the next episode. 

Think legal slows you down? It’s time to find out how your lawyer can be a secret weapon for harnessing the power of AI and navigating regulation. 

 In this episode, hosts Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams team up with Shannon Salerno, Senior Product Counsel at NetApp, to reveal how legal minds help tech innovation sprint ahead. 

Shannon shares the secrets of treating the EU AI Act and GDPR as a playbook, and explains why legal teams are your MVPs for building AI products that win on transparency and data trust. From risk to opportunity, you’ll get quick hits and smart strategies to help your product stay ahead of the rules (and avoid those costly last-minute pivots). 

Whether you’re leading enterprise tech, building AI, or dreaming up your next big thing, tune in for sharp insights, practical laughs, and a smarter way to play the innovation game.  

Follow and learn how the right legal partner turns compliance into your competitive edge. 

Don't forget to check out these resource:

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Checking boxes won’t save you in a real cyber fight.  

In this STEMINISTS episode, Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams join Lindsay Totten, NetApp’s Technical Program Manager and ex-U.S. Air Force pilot, to expose the truth: compliance is just the start. If you want to withstand real attacks, you need more than a checklist. 

Lindsay leverages cockpit grit to expose what most orgs miss, resilience forms in the trenches, not in binders. It’s about shaping culture, breaking silos, pushing for transparency, and learning fast from failure. Dive into psychological safety, root cause analysis, and razor-sharp metrics to see how true risk-takers ditch checklists for real defense.  

If you’re ready to move from audit chaser to cyber badass, share STEMINISTS with your crew. 

https://www.netapp.com/cyber-resilience/ 

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Enterprise software is no longer just built for people; it’s being engineered for digital brains that never sleep. 

On this episode of The STEMINISTS Podcast, Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams invite Christina Storm, Chief Design Officer at NetApp, to spill the secrets of UX design in an AI-powered world. Get ready for a peak into designing slick experiences not just for humans, but also for their silicon-smart sidekicks. Christina touches on everything from clunky dashboards to chatty bots. Because in the age of AI, “user” covers a lot more than just you and me. 

What you can expect to learn: 

Whether you geek out over enterprise tech, obsess about UX, or just want to know if robots will ever get good taste, this episode is stacked with sharp insights and clever digs. If you’ve ever wondered how designers keep their cool and their jobs when their “users” might be carbon-based or code-based, this is the conversation you can’t afford to miss. 

Hit play and join the clever crowd. Then share and drop us a review so even more brains (organic or algorithmic) can find The STEMINISTS Podcast. 

#TheSteministsPodcast #EnterpriseUX #AI #UserExperience #NetApp #DataDesign #AIAgents #Automation 

For 

Learn how to accelerate enterprise AI with confidence.

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